There is an important case going on in Virginia right now that, when it is all said and done, could effect property rights and your access to the rivers here in Texas and across the United States. We anglers need to stick together and protect our rights to access the rivers. To read more about the case: http://www.fishtattoo.net/2012/08/who-owns-riverbed-who-has-access-to.html

S/B be a no brainer law was pretty clear.

If they are granted rights to the river bed, they also need to pay back taxes on that land from whenever they started collecting taxes. They should also share the cost of any river related costs, lawsuits, cleanup, fish stockings. Think that will clear up the issue in a hurry.

Well, I doubt that most would want to pay for lawsuits, cleanups, and stockings. So it might clear it up a little bit. I do think that the laws should be better defined as to what is privately owned shoreline, what is riverbed, and what rivers are navigable.

I don't understand why the sorry arse owners care that fisherman walk /float on or across their property. Its not like were harming anything

Sometimes the case is as you said, they are sorry landowners.

But sometimes the problem is our fault. People, even river anglers, will leave trash and broken and discarded fishing line, in the river and on the bank. They will also damage the bank when they are pulling their boats out and driving their trucks to it. We have to be careful to keep the waters as pristine as possible if we want to continue to have access.

What ever happened to 'metes and bounds' whenever you bought the land. Who buys land without knowing exactly what they're buying?

That's BS come look at the banks of a creek on my property that crosses the highway. People access it from the road and come in my property and leave trash beer and soft drink bottles and cans, old fishing line. And last year some rocket scientist decide a campfire was in order and burne about 60 acres!
By the way I own my creekbed and pay all of the taxes on it. And even people that don't own the bed usually have to pay taxes on it in texas because appraisal districts are too lazy to seperate it out.
If someone calls me and asks permission to fish I always grant it the first time. If I find any trash they left behind that is their last time.

1 bad apple makes it bad for everyone. Not much respect anymore on lake,rivers,streams and ponds. Sad !

The Brazos is owned by all citizens
it only takes a few to ruin it for all

First of all, I would like to say thank you for giving people the benefit of the doubt and allowing them access when they call. Second, I know that people can be totally disrespectful when it comes to your land (or any land in general), and that is a big part of a lot of these issues. I don't understand why people go out and destroy the waters and lands that they love to enjoy.

Questions though, and I am just curious because it seems every stretch of water is different. You said you own the bed, do you own the water too? Is there a public take out downstream from you? What makes people think that they can stop and have a fire on your banks? Is is people like that who ruin it for the rest of us.

The State gave 21 miles of riverbed back to the land owners up here in the Panhandle back when good ole G.B. was gov.

What was the reason for that?

dont get me started on this. they dont own the river! the river will be there long after that land owner is dead and is one of the last real freedoms we have at least here in texas. yes people might mess stuff up sometimes, but that doesnt give landowners the right to wall off our water ways. if thats true we should just cutoff the road whre people thow there beer cans in front of your house. you own the land! not the river. it just burns some people that others even touch a toe on there beloved dirt. try going to someother states like VA where the landowner owns the water the fish and everything under it. unless you are high born you will never get to access any of it.

Yes, soggybottom. I agree, lets not let a few morons who destroy things ruin access to our waters for everyone. Education is the key. Pick up trash whenever you are out, and let everyone know why it is important to take care of what we have.

The original post was about a case that is occurring in Virginia that is testing some of these laws. Lets hope the ruling favors access to the river.

Land owners had the right people in the right places all the way from gov to state rep. and state judges. Kinda of funny how all of them were land owners.